The concept of "surrounds" in the Bible often conveys the idea of encirclement, protection, or the presence of God and His divine intervention. This term can be understood both in a physical and spiritual sense, reflecting God's omnipresence and His protective nature over His people.

Divine Protection and Presence

One of the most significant aspects of "surrounds" in the biblical context is the protective presence of God. In Psalm 125:2, the psalmist writes, "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, both now and forevermore" . This imagery of mountains encircling Jerusalem serves as a powerful metaphor for God's enduring protection and care for His people, emphasizing His steadfastness and reliability.

Similarly, Psalm 34:7 states, "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them" . Here, the encampment of the angel of the LORD signifies divine protection and deliverance for those who revere God, highlighting the spiritual security provided to the faithful.

Encirclement by Enemies

Conversely, the Bible also uses the concept of being surrounded to describe situations of peril or threat, often involving enemies. In Psalm 22:12, David laments, "Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me" . This vivid imagery portrays the overwhelming presence of adversaries, reflecting moments of distress and vulnerability faced by God's servants.

In 2 Kings 6:15-17, the prophet Elisha's servant is initially terrified when he sees the city surrounded by an enemy army. However, Elisha reassures him, and God opens the servant's eyes to see the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha, symbolizing divine protection and the presence of God's heavenly host.

God's Judgment and Wrath

The concept of "surrounds" is also used in the context of God's judgment. In Jeremiah 21:4, God declares, "I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will gather them into the midst of this city" . Here, the encirclement by enemy forces is a manifestation of divine judgment against the people of Jerusalem for their disobedience.

Spiritual Encirclement

In a spiritual sense, the idea of being surrounded can also refer to the encompassing presence of God's love and faithfulness. Psalm 32:10 states, "Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD" . This verse contrasts the plight of the wicked with the blessed assurance of those who place their trust in God, who are enveloped by His steadfast love.

Conclusion

The biblical theme of "surrounds" encompasses both the protective and judgmental aspects of God's interaction with humanity. Whether through divine protection, the encirclement by enemies, or the spiritual embrace of God's love, the concept serves as a reminder of God's omnipresence and His active role in the lives of His people.4014. periaireo -- to take away (that which surrounds)
... to take away (that which surrounds). Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: periaireo
Phonetic Spelling: (per-ee-ahee-reh'-o) Short Definition: I strip off, cast ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4014.htm - 7k

4735. stephanos -- that which surrounds, ie a crown
... that which surrounds, ie a crown. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
stephanos Phonetic Spelling: (stef'-an-os) Short Definition: a crown, garland ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4735.htm - 7k

4524. mesab -- that which surrounds or is round
... that which surrounds or is round. Transliteration: mesab or mesibbim or mesibboth
Phonetic Spelling: (may-sab') Short Definition: direction. ...
/hebrew/4524.htm - 6k

2314. chadar -- to surround, enclose
... 2313, 2314. chadar. 2315 . to surround, enclose. Transliteration: chadar Phonetic
Spelling: (khaw-dar') Short Definition: surrounds. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2314.htm - 6k

5439. sabib -- circuit, round about
... 1), places around (1), round about (29), surround (10), surround* (2), surrounded
(1), surrounding (17), surrounding area (1), surrounds (2), throughout (1). ...
/hebrew/5439.htm - 6k

5437. sabab -- to turn about, go around, surround
... circumference (1), opened (1), removed (2), returned (1), set (3), set* (1), sit
(1), surround (7), surrounded (18), surrounding (2), surrounds (2), swinging (1 ...
/hebrew/5437.htm - 7k

The Glory of Jesus and Mary.
... Before entering upon the contemplation of the excellent glory which surrounds the
blessed in heaven, we must endeavor to form a correct idea of God's grace ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter xvi the glory of.htm

Prologue to the Oration.
... purified their ears in the streams of piety, and raised their thoughts on the soaring
wing of the mind itself, join the company which surrounds the Sovereign ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/prologue to the oration.htm

The Simile Reformed in Accordance with Truth.
... bags, breathing forth souls out of some other nature which was already in existence,
just as we ourselves make our breath from the air which surrounds us; or ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 6 the simile reformed in.htm

An Examination of the Question Where the Ruling Principle is to be ...
... The other declares that the cerebral membrane (for so they call the tissue that
surrounds the brain) is as it were a foundation or root of all the senses, and ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/xii an examination of the.htm

The Ascent of the Body
... the idea. But as the hut surrounds itself with other huts and grows into
a village, a new departure must take place. The village ...
/.../drummond/the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter i the ascent of.htm

Degrees of Happiness in Heaven.
... He may, indeed, be a good man, but the glory which surrounds him is not the standard
by which you can judge of the amount of virtue which he possesses. ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter xiv degrees of happiness.htm

The Glory of the Martyrs.
... Nevertheless, the glory that surrounds such is far inferior to that which surrounds
those who, like St. John the Baptist, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter xvii the glory of.htm

The First Order of Production Maintained by the Heretics is ...
... But if they maintain any such hypothesis, they must shut up their Bythus within
a definite form and space, while He both surrounds others, and is surrounded by ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xiii the first order of.htm

The Creation of Luminous Bodies.
... When it stops and grows less it does not consume itself in all its body, but in
the measure that it deposits or absorbs the light which surrounds it, it ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily vi the creation of.htm

Death
... ordinary mind. That mystery which surrounds the word in the natural world
shrouds only too completely its spiritual import. The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/death.htm

Surrounds (8 Occurrences)
...Surrounds (8 Occurrences). Genesis 2:11 The name of the one is Pison: that is it
which surrounds the whole land of Havilah, where the gold is. (DBY). ...
/s/surrounds.htm - 8k

Air (74 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds
the earth; the atmosphere. ... 7. (n.) That which surrounds and influences. ...
/a/air.htm - 34k

Surround (39 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To enclose on all sides; to encompass; to encircle. 2. (vt) To lie or
be on all sides of; to encircle; as, a wall surrounds the city. ...
/s/surround.htm - 17k

Survey (6 Occurrences)

/s/survey.htm - 9k

Unruly (8 Occurrences)
... Hosea 11:12 Ephraim surrounds me with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit.
Judah still strays from God, and is unfaithful to the Holy One. ...
/u/unruly.htm - 9k

Fountain (57 Occurrences)
... The murmur of these waters is heard in every dell, and the luxuriant foliage which
surrounds them is seen in every plain." Besides its rain-water, its cisterns ...
/f/fountain.htm - 30k

Forevermore (27 Occurrences)
... (WEB NIV). Psalms 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds
his people from this time forth and forevermore. (WEB NIV). ...
/f/forevermore.htm - 13k

Envelop (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) That which envelops, wraps up, encases, or surrounds; a wrapper; an inclosing
cover; esp., the cover or wrapper of a document, as of a letter. ...
/e/envelop.htm - 8k

Deceivers (5 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 49:5 Why should I fear in the days
of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me? (See NIV). ...
/d/deceivers.htm - 7k

Portal (1 Occurrence)
... 4. (n.) By analogy with the French portail, used by recent writers for the whole
architectural composition which surrounds and includes the doorways and ...
/p/portal.htm - 7k

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